


Family Practice

by Denois



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Celebrity AU, Exes, Fake Dating, M/M, Screenwriter!Dex, Soap Opera AU, actor!Nursey, prompt fills
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-24 18:59:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16645940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denois/pseuds/Denois
Summary: Nearly a year after Nursey disappeared from his life, Dex finally saved up the money to move from the east coast to Hollywood and pursue his dream of being a screenwriter. But to pay the bills, he's working set construction and repair for a soap opera. When he runs into Nursey, who happens to be an actor on that soap, he thinks his luck can't get any worse. But then Nursey and Lardo, the director, convince him to be an actor in the show as well. Dex is sure this is all going to blow up in his face, but he can't seem to say no.





	1. Exes

**Author's Note:**

> Previously posted on Tumblr. Based on the prompt:
> 
> Hello! I did a random number generator for the prompt list and I got celebrity!au, exes, and “my hands are really dry. Sorry about that.” (Although “Alexa, play wonderwall” was very tempting) for nurseydex, if you want to do that!

Dex set his toolbox down and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He’d thought that California was supposed to be beautiful weather and perfect temperatures all the time. That must have been said by someone who wasn’t working in it. He wiped his hands on his jeans and shook his head, focusing on fixing the drywall of one of the permanent set pieces. Apparently, one of the actors had managed to fall through it.

He grimaced to himself. Sounded like something Nursey would do.

“Dex?”

Now he thought he was hearing Nursey’s voice calling his name. He was supposed to be over this by now. He shook his head to clear the thoughts of his ex and focused on his work. A hand landed on his shoulder and he instinctively flinched away.

“Shit. Sorry, Dexy. I forgot. Shit.”

Dex closed his eyes. Four million people in LA and he had to run into the one person he knew. “It’s… Hi, Nurse.”

Dex didn’t look up, just continued working.

“So, uh. Whatcha doin?”

“Fixing this hole in the wall. Guessing it came from your elbow?” He said it like a question, but it wasn’t really. Now that he knew Nursey was here, it was pretty obvious what caused the hole. Luckily, he’d had a lot of practice repairing holes in Nursey’s apartment back in New York.

“I meant, what are you doing in LA.”

Dex grunted but kept working. Nursey didn’t respond and he figured that he probably got bored and wandered off. It happened sometimes.

Once he finished with a touch up coat of paint, he packed up his supplies and stood, cracking his back. He turned around and came face to face with Nursey standing awkwardly and watching Dex through his eyelashes.

“What do you want?”

Nursey stepped to the side and gestured to a short woman. “This is Larissa, Lardo, the director. She wanted to talk to you and noticed that I seemed to know you so. Yeah.”

Dex focused on Lardo. “Will Poindexter. Or Dex works. How can I help you, ma’am?”

Lardo’s eyes swept over him several times. “Hmm. The accent isn’t ideal, but I think they can make it work.” She seemed to be talking to herself but Dex raised an eyebrow before she refocused her attention. “First, don’t call me ma’am. Second, I’d like to offer you a job.”

“I’ve got a job, m-Lardo. Thank you though. I should get back to it.” Dex lifted his toolbox in explanation.

Lardo’s head tilt was both acknowledgement and dismissal. “A job as an actor. Playing a handyman. The actor we’d contracted decided at the last minute to go to rehab or something. Nurse says you’re good at learning lines, you’ve got the look, even actually know a thing or two about repair work.”

She paused, seeming to see that none of this was making an impact on Dex. “It pays quite a bit more. Right now it’s a recurring role, but it could expand to a regular role. You can still work with the crew any days you’re not needed on set. Come on, everyone who comes to Hollywood is following a dream. This is your chance.”

Dex scratched his chin. Extra money would be good, the less time imposing on Chowder, the better. But still. “I didn’t come here to be an actor.”

“He’s a writer.” Nursey decided to toss his two cents in, but Dex ignored him.

Lardo’s eyes drew down into a calculating look. “I could get you into the writer’s room. You’d get to see them working and maybe even work on the scripts. If you did, you’d get writing credits for your resume, but I can’t guarantee we’d use your stuff.”

Dex stared at her for a long moment, considering. He resisted the urge to glance at Nursey. Finally, he stuck his hand out. “Ok, I’ll do it. Let’s talk specifics.”

“I’ll have my assistant get a contract ready for you and your agent to look over.” She took his hand and gave a firm shake. As she pulled her hand away, flakes of dried paint drifted between them and clung to her clothes.

“My hands are really dry. Sorry about that.” Dex tried scrubbing his hand on his jeans.

Lardo waved the apology off. “Dried paint is nothing. If you can get the contract back tomorrow, I’d like you to start shooting right away. Nurse has a script you can use but it’s only a few lines.”

With that, she spun on her heel and marched off, yelling something at another member of the crew.

“So, I’m guessing you don’t have an agent. You can use mine. I’m sure he’d be ok with it. I can set up a meeting for today.”

Dex didn’t look at Nursey; it would be too much. “Nah. I’m sure Chowder knows someone. You don’t have to babysit me just because we used to-.” Dex stopped himself and took a breath. “-know each other. I’m not trying to insinuate myself in your life again or some shit.”

“Look, Shitty’s the best. And we’re going to be working together, it seems, so, I mean. We can do that right?”

Dex finally looked at Nursey, his mouth dry. “Fuck, Nurse. I’m not the one that cut off contact and moved across country with no warning.”

Nursey closed his eyes and nodded.

“I never wanted to stop talking to you. So, whatever you want, Nurse. It’s…” Dex sighed. “It’s up to you. It’s always been up to you.”


	2. Dating on Air

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Previously posted on Tumblr.  
> From the prompt:  
> celebrity au, fake dating, and the first dialogue option  
> First dialogue option was “Are you sure this is legal?”

Being in a soap opera wasn’t too bad, Dex supposed. He wasn’t a star like Nursey or Justin or Adam. True to Lardo’s word, he barely even had any speaking lines.

Mostly he was in the background and did things the camera could zoom in on to indicate impending drama for someone else.

And being eligible for the SAG•AFTRA health insurance was pretty nice too.

So he didn’t complain as he listened to his ex boyfriend flirt with, well, everyone. Apparently that was his character’s sole personality trait. Or maybe that was the entire plot of the show. Dex didn’t really pay attention to much besides what he needed to do, and Nursey’s sultry voice from downstage as he suggested a rendezvous to another character, Justin’s this time, he thinks.

Not that Dex cared. They weren’t together. Hadn’t been for months, nearly a year. Since Nursey ghosted him. Dex was over it.

But he might have noticed that Nursey didn’t flirt with any of the other actors off set. And that none of the flirts were Nursey’s actual dorky, awkward self.

Dex’s first lines in a tv show were an accident.

He was supposed to be working on something in the background -something that would undoubtedly force two characters to have to change their make out spot and risk getting caught- and Drs Montague and Crestwood would walk by with the camera following their progress until they had a drama filled moment with the mother of a patient -who might be having an affair with one or both of them, he wasn’t sure.

That’s how it was supposed to go.

Instead, Nursey, as Dr Malik Montague, walked by and tripped over air.

If someone asked Dex about his reflexes, he’d mutter something about babysitting accident prone cousins or catching fancy wood so it didn’t split on the shop floor -and the split second decision process when it was a tool that was dropped to determine which was more dangerous- and then he’d hope they’d let it go. But Dex knew his reflexes were in tune with Derek Nurse. So when Nursey started to fall, Dex caught him.

Nursey looked up at Dex with wide eyes, before sliding a smoldering smirk onto his face. “Guess I fell for you.”

Dex was certain that he was blushing, but hopefully the stage makeup would cover it. “You say that to all the guys, D-Dr. Montague.”

Dex helped Nursey back upright, while Nursey kept staring at him.

“But you’re the only one who’s caught me.”

Dex couldn’t help the half smile and soft laugh, but he really wished that Nursey would finish the scene so that he could get off the set.

Finally, Justin -Dr Crestwood- touched Nursey’s arm. “Ms Campbell is still waiting for us, Malik.”

“Right. Back to work. I’ll see you around.” Nursey threw a wink at Dex, which Dex returned with a faux hat tip, and then sauntered off.

When the scene finally wrapped, Lardo was staring at them with a narrow, calculating look. Dex did not run away. He walked very purposefully. Running could trigger a prey response in predators.

  
  


“Are you sure this is legal?” Dex was pacing in Chowder’s backyard. A few more weeks and he’d have enough for a deposit on his own place, assuming he didn’t quit here and now.

“For the last time, calling you hot does not count as defamation of character.” Shitty sounded slightly bored through the phone and Dex adjusted his grip, trying not to squeeze it.

“Ok, but they just sent me a new script and apparently, I’m supposed to make out with Nursey tomorrow. They can’t just spring that on me, right?” Another circuit of the yard.

“Brah, the contract said as long as they give you a bump in pay, they can promote you to a regular member of cast, which includes giving you lines and relationships. If you didn’t want to kiss him, you shouldn’t have sold it so well to the viewers when you caught him.”

Dex was about to respond, but he realized that Shitty had disconnected the call. That was fair. He’d been asking the same things over and over.

His phone rang and he answered it without looking, expecting Lardo or maybe Shitty.

“Dexy?”

Dex stopped suddenly and almost fell over as his momentum tried to keep him moving forward.

“Nurse?”

“I guess you saw the new script.”

“Yeah. It’s- It’s something. Look, I know it’ll be awkward for you. So, just. Don’t worry about it. I’ll quit. She’ll have to go back to the original.” Dex felt like his chest was constricting and decided it would be a good idea to sit down, so he did.

“Dexy.” Nursey’s voice was soft, gentle even. “I’m an actor on a soap opera. I can handle it. I’m worried about you. I can throw a fit and get it changed if you don’t want to do it. If it would really be that bad to pretend to be my boyfriend for the show.”

Dex closed his eyes and forced himself to take several deep breaths. How was he supposed to say that he thought of kissing Nursey again every day? That he’d dreamed of situations like were described in the script, but for real? How was he supposed to agree to do it on stage and have Nursey not realize that it wasn’t fake? How was he supposed to give it up when the scene was over? 

How was he supposed to pass up what could be his last chance to kiss Nursey? He’d never gotten a kiss goodbye.

“No. It’s fine as long as it won’t bother you. I should have realized that you’re a professional, you do scenes like this all the time.”

Nursey’s only response was a noncommittal noise.

“But it does need to be changed a bit. There’s no way Dan would make out with Dr Montague pressed up against the CR-117. That’s dangerous.”

“Oh, come on. Ashton can handle have a couple of hot bodies.”

“Ashton? You named the computed radiography system Ashton?”

“Yeah. She’s cool. She’ll take pictures of your butt too.”

“She’s not an actual CR system, Nurse.”

“Hmm. If you’re wrong, I get to keep the pictures of your butt.”

Dex groaned. He knew what Nursey was doing, and it was working. He was annoyed and no longer freaking out. “Goodnight, Nurse.”

“Goodnight, Dexy. Remember chapstick tomorrow.”


	3. Red Carpet Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Previously posted on Tumblr.
> 
> Prompt was:
> 
> HEY love could you do celebrity!au + fake dating + “do you ever feel like you’re far away no matter where you are?” for nurseydex please?? love your writing so much just so you know

Dr Malik Montague and Handyman Dan had a wild and passionate love affair. It was pretty long, as far as soap opera romances go. Dex had three weeks of bliss and torment, remembering how Nursey’s skin felt under his fingers, how Nursey’s lips felt on his own. Nursey even asked to meet up a few times so they could rehearse. The soap schedule meant learning new scenes every day, and honestly Dex would have been lost on his own.

The writers rebroke his heart on a Wednesday. 

The scene itself wasn’t a problem. It wasn’t reminiscent of their relationship. It didn’t call up memories of past arguments. Dan’s reaction wasn’t at all what Dex’s would have been in the same situation, but then, Nursey wouldn’t have put him in that situation.

Dex did not practice the scene with Nursey. He practiced with his mirror, and with a giant plush frog that Nursey’d won him at Coney Island. He didn’t allow himself to wonder if Nursey still had its match.

He still wasn’t prepared when he opened the door to the exam room set and saw Nursey kissing Adam. Or, to be more precise, Dr Malik Montague kissing Nurse Ulrich Blum. The script called for rage, temper, shouts, thrown things, slammed doors. He managed the last one. 

“I ought to fire you. You went completely off script. You didn’t even try. And then you left set so I’m out of time.” Lardo leveled him with a glare that could topple countries. “You are so damn lucky. The camera operators were on it. They got tight shots of your face and Nurse’s and I think I can make it work in post. Now. Get off my set and thank whatever gods are looking out for you before I change my mind.”

Dex nodded. “Do you ever feel like you’re far away no matter where you are?”

Lardo peered up at him. “Go home. Get off my set. You’ll get a script when I want you back.”

Dex nodded, and left.

  
  
  
  


Dex spent the next week working on his resume, writing sample scripts, avoiding the cast and crew of Family Practice - which was quite easy as they didn’t try to contact him, which he suspected was due to Lardo - and ignoring Nursey’s calls. He’d promised Nursey that he wouldn’t make it awkward, and then the moment the job wasn’t about acting like they were back together, he fucked everything up. 

He was watching a different soap opera and riffing their writing choices, while eating air popped popcorn -or rather, throwing it one piece at a time to Space Jam, the stray cat that decided to move in his second day- when Justin showed up at his front door. 

They stared at each other in silence for a long moment before Dex turned and walked back to the couch, the open door his invitation. Justin joined him on the couch and stole the popcorn bowl from him.

“Ugh. This shit is dry as hell. No butter?”

Dex shrugged. “Loaned it all to my neighbor for a pie. I think I’m going to get pie as repayment, so….” He shrugged again.

Space Jam meowed at them until Dex reached over and threw a piece of popcorn down. 

“Surprised you’re willing to risk being seen over here. Figured Lardo was still pissed and everyone who talked to me would be guilty by association.” Dex scowled at the tv screen, which was focused on a woman weeping on another woman’s shoulder.

“Nah. She’s over it. The writers spun a real good jilted-lover-runs-off-into-danger story line.” He paused thoughtfully. “Actually, maybe she is still pissed. That’s either going to end with you dying, or with a fake death where you come back just in time for your own funeral or some shit.”

Dex inclined his head in acknowledgement. “You want a beer or something? Sorry, not used to having guests.”

“Sure.”

Dex got the beers and returned, passing one over and then rolling his own between his hands. Justin didn’t seem to want to talk now and Dex wasn’t sure why he’d come over at all. They were friendly on set, but nothing like Justin and Adam were. 

After several minutes of sitting and sipping in silence, Dex finally spoke up. “So, not that I don’t enjoy the company, but what brings you by?“

“Daytime Emmy’s are this weekend.” Justin took another sip of his beer like his statement had actually explained anything.

“Ok. I’ll make sure to watch?” 

“Family Practice is nominated for Outstanding Drama Series. You’ll be expected to be there. We all will.”

“Oh.”

“I think Derek was going to tell you, but….”

“Yeah.” Dex decided it was time to finish off his beer.

“But, uh, I was going to ask. That is, the reason I came over was to ask if you wanted to go together. I’m not sure if they got your name in on time to have an assigned seat or whatever, but Lardo will kill you if you’re not there. So. You can go as my plus one and you’ll be safe.”

Dex stopped breathing for a moment and stared at Justin until his lungs started working again. “Don’t you have someone you’d rather take?”

Justin snorted. “Adam’s been avoiding me and he has his own invitation. It wouldn’t actually mean anything. I mean.” He paused and shrugged. “The media will probably play it up like we’re dating, so if that’s a problem, I’ll call around the women in the cast or something and find you a date.”

Dex was shaking his head before Justin finished talking. “No. I mean. I’m out. I don’t care if they think I’m dating you. I just didn’t think you’d want them to think you were dating me.”

“You kidding? Have you seen twitter? Everyone wants to date you.”

“Not everyone.” Dex twists his mouth thinking of Nursey. “You for one.” 

“Well, I’m not adverse to it.” Justin smiled and Dex relaxed slightly. “But I think you know where my heart is.”

Dex made a noncommittal noise. “Don’t have anything to wear. And I’m guessing you’re going to be bringing your A game.”

“Bet your ass, I will be. I’ll text you some designers that can get you sorted in time. Just tell whichever you pick that you’re going with me. They’ll know what to do.”

Dex nodded. “Ok.”

~~~

The lights from the flashes seemed blinding. Logically, he knew that there weren’t really any more people watching him now than had been watching him on the show. But when filming the show, he didn’t have see a mass of journalists and have them yell at him and flash lights in his eyes. So, his hands were shaking a bit. 

A firm pressure on his lower back helped to ground him. 

Justin leaned in close, his nose and lips brushing Dex’s ear. “We must have gotten here before Derek. There aren’t any holes in the back drop.”

Dex couldn’t help the laugh that burst out of him. Suddenly the crowds weren’t so overwhelming. He could just focus on Justin’s hand and ignore the rest.

“That’s it, just smile and nod.”

Dex turned to speak into Justin’s ear. “Just because we’re in penguin suits doesn’t mean we’re actually penguins.”

“Are you sure? I think we are.” Justin grinned at him and he returned it.

Until he saw Nursey coming up the red carpet behind them. With Evangeline Manning on his arm. 

He had to admit, they looked really good together. Well, Nursey looked good all on his own, better than usual even, in a pale floral print suit. And she looked good on her own too, her dress, with the deep but narrow plunge and the flirty pleats exposing a high slit, showed off her figure flawlessly. Together, it was like an exponential increase in beauty. 

Dex’s gaze caught on her hand, placed on Nursey’s shoulder. Possessively. No, not possessively. Casually laying claim. 

He forced himself to refocus on Justin and paste a grin on his face, but it felt tight. 

Luckily, their seats were spread far enough apart that he could stop thinking about Nursey once they were inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know what I imagine Nursey and Evangeline looking like on the red carpet, I based their looks off of Rome Flynn and Camia Marie at the Daytime Emmy's from a pic on [Rome Flynn's Insta found here. ](https://www.instagram.com/p/BE7h1HHwi-a/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=8anlbbetjlm6)


	4. Thrilling Conclusion

Once they were settled in their seats, Dex relaxed just a little.

“I’m guessing that I’m not allowed to sleep through this.” Honestly, he was already bored as the hosts went through their opening spiel.

“Nope. We’ve got people in the running for, like, ten different categories. So someone will be taking pics of us all night for ‘costar reactions’ and shit. Best behavior.” Justin wrapped an arm around Dex and gave a squeeze in a sideways bro hug. “You’ll survive. I know an after party where you can drink it off later.”

“Thanks man. I just usually don’t even watch these things on tv.” He smiled wryly.

“Well, I’ve got bad news and bad news, man. It’s even longer in person and I’d be willing to wager that you’ll be up for one next year and you’ll have to be back.”

“Unless Lardo kills me. You’ll have to accept my award for me.”

Justin laughed. “I will do that. I will do that for you. Ok, first category Evangeline is up for.”

Dex gritted his teeth and watched the shots on the big screen behind the presenters as it showed the clips and then zoomed in on each actress in the seats. Nursey’s arm was tight around Evangeline’s shoulders and he turned to whisper in her ear just as they zoomed in on them.

Justin’s hand covered his and he realized that he was gripping Justin’s knee and forced himself to relax his hand and turn it over to give Justin’s a squeeze. “Sorry bro.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just expect the same from me when we get to the supporting actor category.”

Dex held up his fist for a bump. “Got your back, man.”

Dex never claimed to not be petty, so he wasn’t ashamed of the satisfaction he felt when the actress from Days of Our Lives won over Evangeline. That satisfaction carried him through the next three categories.

Then Lardo won Outstanding Directing Team of a Drama Series. Justin knocked into his shoulder. “That should help put her in a good mood, eh? Maybe she’ll let you live now.”

“We can hope. We can hope.” Dex found himself smiling at Justin again. He’d expected to be miserable the whole time. And there had definitely been moments. But Justin was really helping to make it as fun as possible and keep him distracted. He hadn’t realized what a good friend Justin had become in the few weeks that they’d been working together. Maybe they should hang out more. 

Dex bumped his shoulder into Justin’s. “We should hang out more sometime. If you want.”

“Yeah, bro. That’s what I’m saying.”

“Cool.”

Dex was distracted by seeing Nursey on the screen again. Except this time, Evangeline was giving his arm a proprietary squeeze as he was announced as one of the nominees.

“I didn’t realize Nursey was up for one too.”

Justin squeezed his knee. “Yeah. Sorry. Young actor in a drama series. Then Holster, Adam, is presenting for best culinary host. Then we have a bunch of ones for other people until best drama writing.”

“Ugh. Can’t we just skip straight to best drama series and go?” Dex let his head fall back.

“Well, I’d kind of like to find out if I win lead actor, also.”

“Oh damn. I didn’t realize you were up for that. Fuck man. You definitely should have brought someone else.”

Justin waved the comment off. “Who else would understand and have my back like you? Plus, I got your back.” He held up his fist for another bump and Dex obliged.

“Derek Nurse as Dr. Malik Montague!”

The presenter called out Nursey’s name and Dex’s attention was pulled back to the screen and stage. He watched Nursey smile at Evangeline and then walk down the aisle with a huge grin. The presenter gave him a hug as they passed the trophy over.

“Wow, Thank you so much. I can’t believe it. Um. Thank you to Lardo, that’s Larissa Duan, to the great writers, my co-stars, my family who have supported me in following my dreams. And finally and most especially, the love of my life, who supported me when I was just getting started back in New York. Without him, I would never have made it this far and he has always deserved better than me. Dex, this is for you.” He hefted the trophy. “I love you.” He finished up by blowing a kiss and then exited the stage as the music played.

“Dex?” Justin’s voice broke through the white noise in his brain.

“Did that just happen?”

Justin’s eyes were wide as he nodded.

“I’m going to kill him.”

“Please don’t.”

Adam’s voice flooded the auditorium as he prepared to present the next award. The lines around Justin’s face tightened and Dex grabbed his hand.

“Come with me.”

He dragged Justin out of the auditorium and into the backstage area. Adam was just exiting the stage when they arrived and he pulled up short when he saw them, seeming to focus on their joined hands.

“Ransom.” Adam’s voice was shaky and Dex looked back and forth between them for a moment.

He turned to Justin and said firmly, but quietly. “Talk to him.”

Justin’s eyes snapped over from Adam to Dex. “I thought you had my back.”

“This is me having your back and telling you that he is on the same page as you. Just talk to him.” He gave Justin a gentle shove towards Adam.

Justin shot another glare at him, but approached Adam. “Hey, Holster. Can we talk in one of the dressing rooms?”

“Yeah, I’ve gotta change anyway. Will going to be ok without you?”

Justin snorted. “Bro? He’s here for Derek.” Adam stared at him and Justin tilted his head. “He was always here for Derek.”

“My dressing room is this way.”

Dex smiled after them and then found the media room. Nursey’s voice was just a murmur through the door, so he leaned back against the wall beside it to wait. He couldn’t hear what was being said, but it brought back memories of waiting during auditions. It actually helped to calm him down to the normal low level of anxiety he felt during those.

Finally, the door opened and Nursey walked out, running a hand over his hair. He glanced around, but didn’t seem to see Dex. His shoulders drooped and he nodded slightly before walking off.

“Nursey.”

He’d only gotten a few steps before Dex called out to stop him. Nursey turned to him slowly, his face a careful blank mask of chill. Dex felt his chest clench and nodded towards an empty green room. Nursey inclined his head and followed him in.

“Look, Dex. I know. I know I missed my chance and I’m sorry I put you on the spot in front of everyone.”

Dex turned away from where he had closed and locked the door to stare at Nursey in disbelief. “Missed your chance? You threw your chance away! You, you left me, Nursey. Without a word, a text, anything. Just ghosted me. I thought you-” His breath hitched and he had to pause and catch his breath. “I didn’t know if you were even alive. For months. Until Chowder saw the Hanes commercial and sent it to me. Do you know how that felt?”

Nursey reached towards Dex, then let his hand drop, closing his eyes briefly before seeming to force himself to look at Dex again. “I’m so sorry.”

“Why? Why would you leave me if you loved me? You could have at least said something.”

“Because, I thought. I thought if I spoke to you. I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from asking you to join me. And your dream was to write Broadway plays. I couldn’t ask you to put my dream over yours. And if you said no….” He trailed off and made an aborted gesture. “I’m not sure I would have come out here. And I didn’t want to resent you for me not trying.”

Dex stepped close to Nursey, capturing his hands. “You absolute idiot. You are the dumbest smart person I’ve ever met.”

Nursey’s eyes flicked up to Dex’s. “Why are you quoting ‘I, Robot’ at me?”

“My dream was to write screenplays for movies.”

“But you said you wanted to write for Broadway.”

“I couldn’t ask you to leave New York. It was your home. And my bigger dream was to be with you.” He lifted a hand to Nursey’s face, running his thumb over the light stubble along his jaw.

“Hey Dex?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to go to Hollywood with me and chase our dreams together?”

“Fuck, yeah.”

Dex leaned in and pressed their mouths together, gently sliding his lips over Nursey’s. He pulled back, leaving their foreheads pressed together. “We should probably see a counselor or something.”

“That’s fair. That’s a good idea. I know it’s not all ok, but, we will be, right?” Nursey’s voice was so small. Dex never wanted to hear him sound like that again.

“Damn right we will be. I love you.” Dex slotted their lips together again, opening his easily to Nursey’s tentative tongue, and slid his hand around to the back of Nursey’s head.

The door rattled as someone jiggled it to try to gain access and they reluctantly pulled apart slightly with a soft laugh.

“Guess you better get back to your seat.” Dex squeezed the back of Nursey’s neck before pulling away completely.

“Fuck you. You’re not getting away from me that easy. You’re sitting by me now.” Nursey grabbed his hand as they headed out the door and back to the main auditorium.

“What about your date?”

Nursey didn’t respond for a moment. “Who? Evangeline? She’s chill. She probably already moved to your spot.”

“Text her to move to Adam’s. I’m pretty sure he’s going to want to sit with Justin.” 

They settled into their seats, Dex’s arm over Nursey’s shoulders, and Nursey’s hand on his thigh. “Oh really?”

“Yeah. That’s where my money is anyway.”

Nursey turned and placed a quick kiss on Dex’s mouth. “You only make bets that you’re sure of, so I’ll believe it.” He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text before settling in closer against Dex’s side to watch the rest of the awards.

Family Practice swept the rest of the categories that they had a nomination for, giving them lots of opportunities to cheer and celebrate and finally requiring Nursey to drag Dex up onto the stage with the rest of the cast and crew for the best drama series award.

After the exit pictures with the trophies, Dex’s phone buzzed with an incoming text.

Justin: Sorry about the after party.  
Justin: going to be busy.  
Justin: thanks for having my back.

Dex took a moment to text back and then slid back into his spot tucked against Nursey’s side. “Looks like we’re on our own for the night.”

“Perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They are definitely going to get some couple's therapy because they need to work on communication. Seriously. Both of them making decisions that affect the other without talking it out. They could have been together in Hollywood ages ago.

**Author's Note:**

> Check me out on Tumblr at [SexyDexyNurse](https://sexydexynurse.tumblr.com).


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